Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder
by FairyDemonDust
Summary: The footprints left in the softened mud he ran on staining golden, all the trees around him turning greener than the rest, the wind whipping his cloak making it look as if he was floating as he ran. The tingle was getting better but he knew he'd have to release a lot more magic before he would feel better.
1. Chapter 1: Beautiful Inside and Out

I don't own anything except the story line I came up with and some of it was inspired from other stories. First Fan fiction I've ever written, I hope you like it.

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 _ **Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder**_

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Merlin could feel the familiar itch beginning to creep up on him. He swallowed hard, and slowly made his way to the door of Arthur's chambers

"Where do you think you're going?" Arthur had briefly looked up from his papers as he heard Merlin's boots heading towards the door.

"I'm not feeling very well, and was going to go get a tonic from Gaius." Merlin dearly hoped Arthur wouldn't question him.

Arthur looked Merlin up and down and noticed he was shaking a little and more pale than usual.

"Alright, I'll give you the rest of the night off, but remember to bring me breakfast on-time tomorrow."

Merlin smirked, "I wouldn't dream of being late when bringing the King breakfast sire." He replied just as sarcastically as usual.

Arthur hid his smirk behind his papers, "You can't talk to me like that Merlin; now get out before I change my mind."

Merlin left with a smile, though it soon turned to a grimace. He had to get out of the castle before it got any worse. He rushed to his quarters to pick up his cloak, and

left quietly so as not to wake his sleeping mentor. He hadn't realized how late he had been working until he had noticed how empty the castle corridors were. He snuck

out of the castle as quietly as possible and when he got to the tree-line he bolted for his favorite clearing unaware that he was being followed.

As Merlin approached his clearing he slowly began to let his magic seep out, the footprints left in the softened mud he ran on staining golden, all the trees around him turning greener than the rest, the wind whipping his cloak making it look as if he was floating as he ran. The rain around him stopped mid air as he went by and color exploded from long dead plants. The tingle was getting better but he knew he'd have to release a lot more magic before he would feel better. Finally he burst through the trees into his clearing and he skidded to a stop in the middle of the clearing, sliding on the muddy ground. He bent over panting from the exercise but not tired in the slightest.

As the moon shone down on him he felt his magic swell and he leaned his head back and released a giddy laugh. He held up his hands and with just a thought his eyes turned gold and the most beautiful butterflies anyone had ever seen or would ever see sprung forth from his hands. Hundreds swirling around him and then taking off into the air of every color imaginable, tears slowly made their way down his face as he smiled at the beauty he had created. He was always so tired and felt as if he was filled with cotton, but at moments like this his head was finally clear. He just let it all go; he didn't have to hide here or repress his magic. Here he could let it surround him and feel the wonder envelop him as if he was still a child seeing what he could create for the first time.

For years he had thought himself a monster, constantly bullied and tormented by everyone around him. Until the day he sat alone in the forest crying and something landed on him. He jumped afraid it was a bug, but was instantly mesmerized at the beauty he held before him. A beautiful thing with wings the brightest shade of blue was sitting on his arm as if it was the most natural thing in the world. His tears slowed to a stop as he slowly reached out for it. It flew up and for a moment he was afraid it would fly away, but instead it settled itself on his outstretched hand. Almost as if someone was speaking to him telling him what to do he felt his magic slowly reach out and feel the life force within everything around him until he felt a reaction. The trees, the grass the Butterfly, the flowers, everything around him sent him back a little magic of their own. He could feel it slowly pulsing back to him. He began to once again let tears slide down his face, but this time not from believing that he was a monster. This time he was crying because he could see it. The life force of the earth all living things connected and slowly pulsing towards him as if to comfort him, and heal his hurt. He knew in that moment that nothing this beautiful, this wonderful could be evil. That is how he learned to create butterflies, the earth showed him how to create and share his life force. He was immortal and had an infinite amount of life to give. As long as he existed this planet would never die.

As the last butterfly left his hand, he felt the earth pulsing beneath him and slowly he felt the exhaustion begin to sweep over him, but no not yet. He refused to sleep until he had once again seen the beauty of the earth and shared his life with it. He slowly knelt down on the ground and gently put his hands on the cool grass. He released his magic into the earth and felt as the trees around him began to liven, as the dead grass came back to life, as the animals in the area came to the clearing if only to be nearer to such power. When he finally opened his eyes he was not prepared for the sight he found. Kneeling in front of him was none other than Arthur Pendragon, tears sliding down his face as he was surrounded by all that Merlin had just created.


	2. Chapter 2: Conversion By Beauty

Conversion by Beauty

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I don't own anything, and I apologize in advance for this chapter, it was a bit rushed and I wasn't feeling the mood in the right way.

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Arthur had a headache. He had been looking at papers about grain supplies for hours and had nothing to show for it. Instead his mind kept wandering to anything other than his work. Finally he threw his paper down, enough was enough he decided. "I've got to do something before I go mad." He speaks aloud, before deciding that speaking to no one is probably already a sign that he's losing it. "Merlin!" He shouts only to remember he sent him away. He paces his chambers before deciding he can go see Merlin but cover it up with getting a headache tonic from Gaius. "Absolute genius" he thinks to himself.

He strolls out of his chambers and is striding through the strangely empty castle hallways. Where has everyone gone? Arthur stops a few paces away from the physicians' chambers, and slowly rotates backing up until he could see outside. His jaw drops. The moon is high in the sky and at this time of year it would mean it is well past the middle of the night. No wonder Merlin looked sick, he was probably tired. Arthur closes his jaw with an audible click and slowly squeezes the bridge of his nose. Why is he still awake, when Merlin should've told him to go to bed hours ago. He decides because he hasn't slept yet neither should Merlin sick or no. In truth he's bored and lonely which he would never admit out loud. He turns back around and heads once again towards the physicians quarters only to quickly hide as he hears quick footsteps heading his way.

Afterwards he questions why he should hide seeing as he is the king but years of training have given him the instinct to hide and observe before attacking. He begins to slowly draw his sword as the person runs past him but his hand freezes as he sees his best friend rush past him. Arthur sticks his head into the corridor and watches as Merlin is practically sprinting but is still as quiet as a mouse. Questions whirl through Arthur's head until it's as if a constant buzz is in his ears. He doesn't question what to do though; he immediately heads after Merlin as quietly as possible.

He did say he wanted to not be bored, but chasing a sprinting Merlin who was supposed to be sick was not what he had in mind. He slams to a stop almost hitting a wall, and watches as Merlin, after running around like a nutter, delicately and inconspicuously gets out of the citadel. He is strangely impressed with Merlin's newfound skills at sneaking about. He decides he'll ponder that later and files it away in his brain along with all his other questions. At this point he's unsure why he's following Merlin. Maybe Merlin needs private time and he'd be interrupting, or maybe he's off to see a girl.

As soon as Arthur begins to slow his chase something strange happens. A breeze begins to stir as if spurring him on. He can feel it on his skin as if it is leading him somewhere and he is helpless to resist. At least that's what he tells himself, but the truth is he feels something strange in the air and it's getting stronger. Like a storm about to descend. He sees Merlin reach the tree line and he loses sight of him immediately, so he spurs himself to go faster.

As soon as he enters the forest he knows something is off it all feels strange. He decides he'll track Merlin because the trees are blocking most of the moonlight he has to do his best to track footprints, but the more he follows the trail the stranger everything around him becomes. Most trees in this part of the forest are dying. The ground is sick and so any plants should have died but as he finally finds a proper footprint color explodes around him. He scans his surroundings wildly confused but also astonished at what is in his sight. Flowers of every kind are blooming, most of them he doesn't know but he's sure they aren't supposed to grow in this region. The trees have more leaves than he has ever seen before and they seem to glow golden as they sway gently in the breeze. He doesn't understand but decides that maybe he doesn't want to. He had never seen anything so beautiful and was struck down by the sheer amazement he felt at what he was seeing. He jumped as suddenly golden birds flew from the ground where Merlin's footprint had just been. Arthur was still captivated but decided he could, no he WOULD come back, but he had to find Merlin first. He started back on the trail only to discover that that was not the only spot that held such beauty. Trees that were filled with life, flowers that were all in bloom and golden birds springing from the ground all seemed to make a path to somewhere. At this point Arthur had forgotten he was following Merlin and thought himself in some sort of dream he wasn't sure he wanted to wake from.

He continued his journey through the forest until he tripped over a tree root and almost fell into a clearing he swore he had seen before. After regaining his balance he was less happy by the beauty surrounding him but decided he was a knight, and he would just pretend it never happened. He looked up to continue admiring his surroundings but froze at the sight before him. Merlin was standing in the clearing with tears streaming down his face as he looked up at the moon. He wanted to help, to comfort, but he wasn't sure he was even welcome intruding on Merlin's private moment. He stood staring for another couple of seconds before deciding he was the king and if he wanted to cheer his girly manservant up he would.

He took a step into the clearing but froze once again staring in horror as Merlin after letting out some sort of choked laugh threw his arms into the air and they exploded. It took him a little while to unfreeze and realize Merlin still had arms they just had things coming out of them. He took a shaky choked breathe before leaning on the tree that had tripped him moments earlier to try to make sense of what he was seeing without jumping to conclusions. Clearly he was hallucinating, or sleeping and he just needed to wake up. But as he came to this conclusion he heard Merlin move and snapped his head up only to see Merlin fall to his knees. Without thinking he rushed over to help him, not even sure if he knew how to help or what was wrong. But as he approached Merlin everything stopped. It was as if time froze, and all he could hear was a heartbeat that was not his own. Dizziness overtook him and he lost his balance only to end up on his knees in front of Merlin who seemed unable to hear anything around him. Arthur couldn't blame him, he couldn't hear anything but that pulse coming from somewhere. Arthur reached out to touch Merlin, to try and wake him up from whatever he was in, but as soon as he touched him it all went black.

He didn't know how long it was until he became aware of things around him again, but eventually he could hear and see, and even move but as soon as he opened his eyes he knew something was different. The trees above him were all dead looking and looked nothing like the trees that he had just been surrounded by. He slowly sat up as to keep himself from getting dizzy again, but snapped his head around when he heard a sniffle. A little boy that didn't look any older than 8 was curled up under one of the dead trees and had stuffed his head in his arms as he wept.

Arthur slowly stood up and moved over to the little boy before kneeling near him and trying to touch his arm. His hand went right through the boy as if he was a ghost. He yanked his arm back as though burned and stared from his hand to the boy and back until he just stared at the boy. The more he stared at the boy the more he felt like he knew him. Until he saw his ears and knew that it had to be Merlin. "I'd recognize his ears anywhere" Arthur thought as a smile began to work its way onto his face. He may have no idea what was going on but that didn't stop him from seizing the chance to study what he assumed must be the younger Merlin. Merlin's head suddenly jerked up and Arthur flinched back afraid for some reason Merlin could see him, but his fears were for naught because Merlin's focus was drawn to something on his arm just out of Arthur's sight. He leaned forward so to see what had his friend so captivated and flinched back upon seeing an unnaturally blue butterfly.

Realization hit him, all this must be magic! He and Merlin had gotten caught in some sort of spell and now he just had to figure a way out for the both of them. He knew he should be calculating battle plans and trying to figure a way out but he couldn't help himself as he watched Merlin reach out his hand. He was mesmerized as the butterfly instead of fleeing landed on his outstretched fingers. Arthur knew magic was bad but the small smile that grew on Merlin's face as a result was worth it in Arthur's opinion. He watched as Merlin completely absorbed in studying the Creature on his hand let his eyes turn gold. He scrambled backwards and yanked his sword out. He couldn't deny the proof right in front of him.

He had seen it earlier with his own eyes but hadn't wanted to believe Merlin capable of doing magic. But as he held his sword he hesitated. He couldn't kill his friend no matter what he had done. Merlin meant more to him than anything, and even if he was evil Arthur didn't think he could bring himself to hate, or hurt him. He dropped his sword as he came to this decision and went back to kneeling by Merlin, watching and waiting. He at last thought nothing was going to happen despite the golden eyes staring down at a butterfly as if it were his most prized treasure, but then he felt it. It was small at first almost like a tentative push, but eventually it gained momentum and became a never ending cycle of life. Arthur was speechless, what was this? What was this feeling, what was going on? But the more he was enveloped in the powerful force being created the more he felt things he didn't know possible.

He felt the Earth beneath him growing and sharing life, he felt the forest come alive, he felt all this but to him the greatest feeling he experienced was what Merlin was feeling. Merlin's magic was showing Arthur how it felt, to hold such power to see such beauty to feel the self-hatred slowly melt away as if it was ice melting under a scorching sun. He felt it all and he never wanted it to stop. He was pulled out of Merlin's memory only to realize he had tears sliding down his cheeks. He was frozen on the ground in front of his friend, because he finally understood. He understood that what magic created was far more precious than he could have ever dreamed. He finally understood that it was all alive, that it was full of love and kindness. As Merlin finally opened his eyes all he saw was Arthur sitting in front of him crying because he had felt it too, and he never wanted to go back.


	3. Chapter 3: Delayed Reaction

_**Chapter 3**_

 _ **Delayed Reaction**_

As a shaking Merlin and a crying Arthur stared at each other, the world around them slowly began to fade from the golden haze Merlin had been emitting to reveal vibrant green trees glowing softly in the moonlight, as well as a stream that seemed to have no start and no end that had appeared out of nowhere. Butterflies began landing on Merlin and Arthur, as if to remind them of time passing as they stared. Merlin looked so torn between exasperated and petrified that Arthur felt a little guilty appearing out of nowhere. Arthur was the first to clear his throat and speak since Merlin appeared unable to speak at that moment.

"So, I can't help but notice you lied about going to Gaius for medicine. I really ought to throw you in the stocks for lying to the King, but it hasn't stopped your behavior so far and I don't think it'll start now, but I think I seeing mucking out the stables in your future."

Merlin let out a shaky laugh, the fear in his eyes dimming little by little the more that Arthur spoke. "My _sincerest_ apologies sire," he began, sarcasm dripping from his voice, "I'll be sure to never lie to you again! You are just too smart for me."

"You're damn right I am." Arthur puffed out his chest a little as he said this, and Merlin finally cracked a smile. Arthur broke into a grin, "So I want to know all about this," he gestured to all the magic around them with a wave of his arm, "but I think we should both get back to the castle before the sun begins to rise and we're missed."

Merlin's smile faded a little at that but he watched as Arthur stood and then stood resolutely ready for whatever happened, and promptly toppled into Arthur with black spots forming in his vision. He couldn't focus and there was a ringing in his ears as his vision began to tunnel. He felt something around him and he felt newly grown grass poking him as the ringing in his ears slowly began to recede.

"Merlin? Merlin are you okay? Answer me you absolute buffoon before I throw you in the stocks or something worse!"

Merlin tried to speak only to begin to gag; he felt Arthur roll him onto his side so he didn't choke as he lost his lunch. After he had nothing left in his stomach, and he had stopped dry heaving he noticed his vision was clearing and the ringing had stopped.

"Merlin?" Arthur quietly questioned trying to see whether he was coherent or not.

Merlin as his breathing finally began to slow answered with a quietly whispered back, "Yes Arthur?"

Arthur relaxed at Merlin's response and gently pulled him into arms and maneuvered Merlin so he was being held while sitting in Arthur's lap away from his sick. Merlin rested his head on Arthur's shoulder as a headache began to form. "Are you going to be okay now? I don't have time to find a new manservant you know." Merlin smiled slightly as he heard the gentle concern in Arthur's voice.

"I expelled too much magic at once, after holding it in for too long. At least I didn't pass out this time." Merlin whispered the last part quietly to himself but Arthur still heard him.

His eyebrows furrowed together, "How often does this happen exactly?"

Merlin looked a little confused with his eyes glazing over slightly, "hmm?"

Arthur shook his head, "Never mind we'll talk about this tomorrow, let's head back to Camelot."

Arthur moved to stand only to realize Merlin had become dead weight, he panicked thinking he was going to be sick again but upon noticing Merlin's barely open blue eyes he realized how tired he must really be and without a second thought gently rose with Merlin in his arms, and began the walk back to Camelot with a barely awake sorcerer in his arms being followed by a horde of animals as well as butterflies, and birds. As he passed by the path he had walked previously he noticed how the trees were almost tilting out of the way to clear the path for him. Glowing floating lights began to appear and go with him as well. To say he was startled was an understatement. He was bewildered by everything going on around him, but decided if he was going to accept magic he was going to have to accept strange as a part of his life. He looked down at a now sleeping Merlin, and smiled as he realized strange had always been with him, and hopefully always would be.


	4. Chapter 4: No Fear

_**Chapter 4**_

 _ **No Fear**_

Merlin woke to a pounding head and feeling as if he was floating on feathers. As everything came more into focus he remembered what had happened, and he bolted upright eyes snapping open. He was greeted with the sight of a half-naked Arthur scrambling to his side after having fallen out of the other side of the bed Merlin was currently occupying. Black dots danced across his vision and he began to tremble.

"Merlin you shouldn't have shot up so fast; you're going to make yourself sick; here lay back down for a minute and it'll help."

Merlin closed his eyes and let Arthur gently lay him back onto the pillows and silk sheets beneath him while taking slow breaths.

"If you get sick on my sheets you'll be mucking out the stables for weeks." Arthur had a gentle smile on his face when Merlin opened his eyes to look at him.

"I best not get sick then." Merlin retorted trying to be cheeky while the sick feeling began to lessen ever so slowly.

Arthur regarded him with a wicked grin that had Merlin feeling as if his stomach was fluttering.

"You know you are lucky that you missed when you decided to be sick right after I'd gotten you into bed last night." Merlin's whole face flushed bright red as Arthur simply sat back and watched with a smirk.

Merlin began to sit up even as Arthur tried to stop him. He swung his legs out of bed and let his feet touch the floor all while saying, "I'm so sorry to have inconvenienced you sire, you should've just left me where I was and I would've been fine. I'm sorry you had to concern yourself with me occupying your bed."

"Stop it Merlin! I never said I minded did I?"

Merlin's head shot up to look at Arthur with a gaping mouth as Arthur froze and then tried to backtrack.

"I meant it was easier that's all, besides I couldn't have left you out there to fend for yourself while you were ill, Gaius would have my head."

Merlin snapped his mouth closed with a click, and now suddenly he was the one grinning. Arthur wished he had just kept his mouth shut.

"Are you saying you were worried?"

Arthur having decided he would not be beaten at this game shot back, "You didn't seem to mind hugging yourself to me as closely as possible and whenever I tried to move you, you just clung even more!"

Both with flaming red faces silence echoed in the room. They seemed to have reached an impasse, and Arthur decided that was the perfect time to ask all the questions that had been buzzing in his head since the previous night.

"So, are you going to explain your magic or am I going to have to pry it out of you?" Merlin tensed at the question, and looked up at Arthur curiously.

"I thought you would've reacted much worse to discovering I was doing illegal things." Merlin quietly responded, voice filled with confusion.

"I might've reacted worse, had it not been for the interesting way I was presented with this knowledge." Arthur had a smile on his face as he thought back to what he had seen Merlin create.

Merlin smiled at the wistful look on Arthur's face.

"I did not dare to hope you might not resent me at all for lying to you all this time." Merlin looked down at his hands as he spoke.

"Merlin I do want to know how you began using magic in the first place and I have many questions for you to answer of course, but I understand the need for secrecy; have you forgotten I myself am a king who must keep many secrets to keep my people safe. For a long time I was scared of magic and all who used it, but since before my father died I've realized I wish to understand it rather than fear what I do not know."

Merlin sat in shocked silence staring at Arthur with tears forming in his eyes, "Does that mean you aren't scared of me?" his question was met with sudden silence from Arthur.

"I could never be scared of you Merlin; you are the most important person in my life. I don't know what I would do without you." Arthur grabbed him from his sitting position and yanked Merlin into his arms in a tight hug.

The tears began to spill over as Merlin sucked in a shaky breath through his tears, "Thank you Arthur, you have no idea how much that means to me, that's all I've ever wanted."

Arthur pulled back and gently wiped the tears off Merlin's face with his thumbs as he held his face gently between his hands. Arthur's eyes moved from looking into Merlin's eyes down to his lips and back up slowly, and then slowly leaned forward pausing as if to ask for permission. Merlin moved forward and their lips connected.


End file.
